Caries and obesity in 6 year-old schoolchildren from the Metropolitan region (MR) of Santiago, Chile

Authors

  • Ismael Henry Yevenes Universidad de Chile
  • Gisela Zillmann Universidad de Chile
  • Andrea Muñoz Universidad de Chile
  • Viviana Mieres Araya Universidad de Chile
  • Lorena Coronado Universidad de Chile
  • José Manríquez Universidad de Chile
  • Fabiola Werlinger Universidad de Chile
  • Paula Maass Universidad de Chile
  • Renata Quintana Universidad de Chile

Keywords:

caries, obesity, nutritional status, children

Abstract

Purpose: Dental caries and obesity are multifactorial diseases of high prevalence in Chilean child population, and both are preventable from early age. They share association with diet habits and socio-cultural determinants. The objective of this study was to determine the coexistence between caries and obesity in 6 year-old schoolchildren from the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Chile. Methods: A sample was composed by 571 6 year-old schoolchildren from the fluoridated communes of the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Chile, in 2004-2005. Caries diagnosis was performed by using the WHO criteria for epidemiological studies. Nutritional diagnosis was carried out according to BMI/age and sex in relation to CDC-NCHS curves, considering obese children with a ≥95 percentile. Socioeconomic level (SEL) and sex were recorded. Results: No statistically significant difference was found between caries history and nutritional status (NS) (P=0.837), in both primary and permanent dentition (P=0.306).There was no risk association (OR 0.88; IC 0.60-1.28; 95%). Overweight children had less caries prevalence and history than normal weight and obese children. No relationship was found at the multivariate analysis between NS, SEL and caries occurrence. Conclusion: Obesity is not related to dental caries in this sample. Overweight children had less caries prevalence and severity.

Author Biography

Ismael Henry Yevenes, Universidad de Chile

Department of Chemical Sciences, Dental School, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile. Assistant Professor

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Published

2012-04-11

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Section

Original Article